Handrail System Stanchion

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides for a support member to connect a column of a handrail or glass barrier system to a concrete slab. The support member may include a post extending from a base. A portion of the post may extend from the concrete slab and may be used to connect the column to the support member. The post may include holes for connecting the support member to the column. One or more legs may extend from the base to elevate the base above a surface.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 11/083,164, titled “Glass Barrier System” and filed on Mar. 16,2005, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference and which claimsthe benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/553,673, titled“Glass Barrier System” and filed on Mar. 16, 2004, which is herebyincorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

a. Field of the Invention

Aspects of the present invention relate to walls and fences, and moreparticularly, a glass barrier system and support members that may beconstructed in combination with a concrete slab or masonry wall.

b. Background Art

Glass wall and fence structures are known in the art and are commonlyused as windbreaks, pool surrounds, and noise barriers. Glass walls canbe used to create an effective barrier while at the same time, limitingthe confining effect of fences made of non-translucent material. In manycommon designs, glass walls are constructed by supporting pieces ofglass between aluminum posts grouted directly into and along the top ofconcrete slabs or walls. The glass pieces are supported by the aluminumposts by placing edges of the glass pieces in slots extendinglongitudinally along the length of the aluminum posts.

Many of the parts utilized in glass wall products currently available onthe market were not specifically designed for use in glass wallapplications. Instead, many of these products apply “off-the-shelf”parts and technology originally designed for use in constructing glassstorefronts. For example, many currently available glass wall productsutilize standard aluminum “storefront” posts grouted directly into opencavities of concrete blocks. In addition, many of these products alsoutilize wedge vinyl glazing commonly used in storefront applications tohelp secure the glass to the aluminum posts. The wedge vinyl istypically rolled into the slot located in the post in a space locatedbetween the glass and the post.

Although existing “storefront” technology can be used to construct glasswall structures, certain problems can result from using “storefront”technology in glass wall applications. For example, over time, lime inthe concrete can react with the aluminum post material grouted directlyinto concrete, which can weaken the posts. Further, ultraviolet rays andvarious pollutants, such as salt, can cause the vinyl wedges used tosecure the glass to the posts to become brittle and shrink. As a result,the glass can become loose within the slot on the posts. Accordingly,there is a need in the art for an improved glass wall system.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides for a component for use in conjunctionwith a handrail system, a glass barrier system, or other structuralsystem. The component can include a base, a post extending from thebase, and a plurality of legs extending from the base. The post isadapted to support a column of a handrail system, a glass barriersystem, or another structural system. In one embodiment, the base mayinclude a first portion with three members extending from the firstportion. In such an embodiment, the post may extend from the firstportion of the base and at least one of the plurality of legs may alsoextend from the first portion of the base. In yet another embodiment,the base may have a substantially triangular planar body with at leastone of the plurality of legs extending from proximate a vertex of thebase.

Another aspect of the present invention is a method for connecting acolumn of a handrail system, a glass barrier system, or other structuralsystem to another structural component. The method includes providing astructural component including a first material and a connection elementhaving a base and a post extending from the base, embedding the base anda first portion of the post in the first material, providing a columnincluding a first surface defining an aperture operative to receive asecond portion of the post extending from the first material, receivingthe second portion of the post within the aperture, and filling a spacebetween the post and the first surface with a second material.

The features, utilities, and advantages of various embodiments of theinvention will be apparent from the following more particulardescription of embodiments of the invention as illustrated in theaccompanying drawings and defined in the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a glass barrier system according to oneembodiment of the present invention installed on top of a wall.

FIG. 1A is a cross sectional view of the glass barrier system shown inFIG. 1, taken along line 1A-1A.

FIG. 2 is an exploded isometric view of a first post shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an exploded detailed isometric view of a second post shown inFIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a top view of the second post shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4A is a cross-sectional view of a glazing bead shown in FIG. 4before being installed.

FIG. 5 is a side view of a bottom rail installed on a piece of glass.

FIG. 6 is an isometric view of an embodiment of a support member.

FIG. 6A is a bottom plan view of the support member shown in FIG. 6.

FIG. 7 is an isometric view of a second embodiment of a support member.

FIG. 8 is an isometric view of a handrail system.

FIG. 9 is an exploded isometric view of the handrail system shown inFIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a side elevation view of a portion of the handrail systemdepicted in FIG. 8 showing the support member of FIG. 6 embedded in aconcrete slab and a column.

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the support member embedded in thecolumn, viewed along line 11-11 in FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the support member embedded in theconcrete slab, viewed along line 12-12 in FIG. 10.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a glass barrier system constructed frompieces of glass supported between posts extending upward from varioustypes of base structures, such as concrete slabs, masonry walls, andother similar structures. The posts are supported by support membersconnected with or embedded into the base structure. For example, in oneembodiment of the glass support system, aluminum posts are supported bysteel members embedded into and extending from a concrete basestructure. By supporting the aluminum posts above the concrete, theglass barrier system can eliminate problems associated with lime in theconcrete reacting with the aluminum posts. The glass barrier systemaccording to the present invention can provide other benefits wheninstalled as part of a larger construction project, such as a newbuilding construction. For example, because the posts are not connectedwith or embedded directly into the base structure, the present inventionallows the posts to be installed later in the construction process. Assuch, the likelihood of damage caused to the posts while otherconstruction activities take place is reduced. Some embodiments of thepresent invention also utilize a U-shaped glazing channel to securelyand reliably hold the glass in place with respect to the posts. Theglazing channel include soft rubber lips co-extruded with a rigid vinylmaterial. The rigid vinyl material frictionally engages the glass andthe post to hold the glass in position, while the soft rubber lips helpprevent outside contaminants, such as salt, from reaching the vinyl.While the present invention is described and depicted below withreference to installation on top of a concrete wall, it is to beappreciated that the present invention can also be utilized inconjunction with other structures, such as a deck or slab. It also to beappreciated that the posts and support members can be made from varioustypes of materials and are not limited to being constructed fromaluminum and steel.

FIGS. 1 and 1A show a glass barrier system 100 according to oneembodiment of the present invention installed on top of a base structure102. The base structure shown in FIGS. 1 and 1A is a wall 104constructed from a plurality of concrete cinder blocks 106. As shown inFIG. 1, a first generally rectangular-shaped piece of glass 108 issupported between a first post 110 and a second post 112 extending froma top surface 114 of the wall 104. Further, a second generallyrectangular-shaped piece of glass 116 is supported between the secondpost 112 and a third post 118 extending from the top surface of the wall104. In some embodiments of the present invention, the first, second,and third posts are identically constructed, while other embodiments canutilize varying post configurations. For example, some posts may beconfigured to support pieces of glass from opposing sides, while otherposts may be configured to support pieces of glass from only one side.The post heights and distances between the posts can also vary dependingupon the particular application. For example, in one embodiment of thepresent invention, the posts are 48 inches tall and are spaced apartfrom each other by a distance of 72 inches. Although the glass barriershown in FIGS. 1 and 1A is constructed with three posts and two piecesof glass, it is to be appreciated that more or fewer pieces of glass andassociated posts can be used to increase or reduce the overall length ofthe glass barrier.

FIG. 2 shows an exploded isometric view of the first post 110 shown inFIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 2, a lower portion 120 of the first post 110 isadapted to receive an upper portion 122 of a support member 124extending from grout 126 in the wall 104, and an upper portion 128 ofthe first post 110 is adapted to connect with a post cap 130. The crosssection of the first post 110 is generally elliptically-shaped and isdefined by two opposing rounded sides 132 connected with two opposinggenerally flat sides 134. It is to be appreciated that post crosssections shaped differently from that which is depicted may also be usedwith the present invention. For example, one embodiment of the presentinvention utilizes posts having a square cross section.

The first post 110 shown in FIG. 2 includes a first slot 136 and asecond slot 138 extending inwardly from the two opposing generally flatsides 134 and extending longitudinally along the length of the firstpost 110. The first slot 136 and the second slot 138 are adapted toreceive a U-shaped glazing bead 140, which in turn, is adapted toreceive a side edge portion 142 of the first piece of glass 108, asdiscussed in more detail below. Although the first and second slotsshown in FIG. 2 extend longitudinally along the entire length of thefirst post, in other embodiments of the present invention, the slotsextend longitudinally for a distance that is less than the entire lengthof the post. Because the first post depicted in FIG. 2 is utilized as anend post in the glass barrier system, a slot blank 144 can be placedinside the second slot 138 to provide an aesthetically pleasing look tothe post. The second slot is also capable of receiving the glazing beadand glass piece in the same manner as illustrated in relation to thefirst slot, as illustrated with reference to the second post shown inFIG. 1. Although the second slot 138 shown in FIG. 2 is substantially amirror image of the first slot 136, the first post can includedifferently configured slots. In addition, the post can include morethan two slots or a single slot. For example, in some embodiments of thepresent invention, posts that are to be used as end posts in the glassbarrier system are configured with a single slot. In these types ofconfigurations, slot blanks are not needed. It is also to be appreciatedthat the slots need not be located on opposing sides of the post. Forexample, the slots can be located in various locations in the post withrespect to each other to define various angles between the pieces ofglass. In one scenario, the first and second slots are located inadjacent sides of the post to form a corner in the glass barrier systemdefining a 90 degree angle between the first and second pieces of glasssupported by the slots.

As shown in FIG. 2, the lower portion 120 of the post 110 is configuredto receive the upper portion 122 of the support member 124 such that thepost is suspended above the top surface 114 of the base structure 102.Because the post is not in direct contact with the base structure, thebase structure material cannot easily react with the post material. Forexample, a base structure constructed from concrete can include lime inthe concrete that could otherwise react with the post material. This canbe important when aluminum posts are utilized with the presentinvention, because lime can react with the aluminum to weaken the posts.It is to be appreciated that the post can be connected with and/orsupport by the support member in various ways. For example, as shown inFIG. 1A, screws 146 are used to connect the post 110 with the supportmember 124. It is to be appreciated that bolts or other similar types offasteners can also be used to connect the post with the support member.In other embodiments, a ledge on the inside of the post supports thepost on top of the support member. In still other embodiments of thepresent invention, it may be advantageous to apply adhesive to bond thepost to the support member. Although the post is depicted as receivingthe support member, the post may be connected with the support member invarious other ways. For example, in one embodiment of the presentinvention the post is received within the support member. The supportmember can also be constructed from various types of materials and canbe configured to extend various distances into the grout and the post.For example, in some embodiments of the present invention, the supportmember is constructed from steel, and is configured to extend 12 to 16inches into the grout and 12 inches into the post.

As shown in FIGS. 1-3, the glass barrier system can include the post capconnected with the upper portion of the post. Various post capconfigurations may be utilized with the present invention. For example,as shown in FIG. 3, the post cap 130 can define an outer perimeter 148that corresponds with the shape and size of the post cross section. Thepost cap and post define interconnecting structures to help ensureproper alignment between the post and post cap when connecting the postcap to the post. More particularly, the post includes a pair of opposingwebs 150 extending inwardly from the rounded sides 132 and four inwardlyextending ledges 152 adjacent the slots 136, 138 adapted to engage thepost cap 130. The post cap 130 also includes an upper surface 154 and alower surface 156. Two pairs of cap extensions 158 extending downwardfrom the lower surface 156 of the post cap 130 define a gap 160 betweeneach pair of cap extensions. When the post cap 130 is connected with thepost 112, the cap extensions are received within the post and abut theledges to help align the post cap with the post. In addition, the gaps160 receive the opposing webs 150 on the inside of the post 112. The capextensions can also be configured to frictionally engage the inside ofthe post to help secure the post cap to the post.

As described in more detail below, the pieces of glass are connectedwith the posts by installing the glazing bead on the side edge portionsof the pieces of glass and then inserting the glazing beads and sideedge portions of the pieces of glass into the slots on the post. Theslots are configured such when the glazing beads and glass are receivedwithin the slots, the glazing beads are compressed against the sides ofthe slot and the glass. This compression fit creates friction forcesbetween the slot, the glazing bead, and the glass that act to hold theglass in position relative to the slot. One-way barbs, when used on theglazing bead, also act to prevent the glass from separating from thepost.

As shown in FIGS. 1-3 and as previously mentioned, the pieces of glass108, 116 are supported by the posts 110, 112, 118 by inserting the sideedge portions 142 of the pieces of glass into the glazing beads 140. Theglazing beads and side edge portions of the glass, in turn, are insertedinto the slots 136, 138 in the post 112. As shown in FIG. 3, the firstand second slots 136, 138 are U-shaped and are each defined by a firstside 162 and a second side 164 connected with a base side 166. Theglazing beads are also U-shaped and are each defined by a first glazeside 168 and a second glaze side 170 connected with a base glaze side172. The glazing bead can be made from various materials, such aplastic, rubber, and vinyl. In some embodiments, the glazing beadsinclude one-way barbs extending along inner and outer surfaces of theglazing bead to engage the slots in the post as well as the pieces ofglass.

As shown in FIG. 3, when connecting the second piece of glass 116 withthe second post 112, the glazing bead 140 is placed on the side edgeportion 142 of the second piece of glass such that the glass is incontact with inner surfaces 174 of the first glaze side 168, the secondglaze side 170, and the third glaze side 172. The side edge portion 140of the second piece of glass 116 and the glazing bead 140 are theninserted into the first slot 136 on the second post 112 such that outersurfaces 176 of the first glaze side 168, the second glaze side 170, andthe base glaze side 172 contact the first side 162, second side 164, andthird side 166 of the first slot 136, respectively. As previouslymentioned, the insertion of the second piece of glass and the glazingbead into the first slot causes the glazing bead to become compressedbetween the glass and the slot. This compression fit helps to hold theglass in a fixed position relative to the post. As previously mentioned,the glazing bead can also include one-way barbs to help hold the glassin position. As shown in FIG. 4, the first side 162 and the second side164 of the first slot 136 and the second slot 138 are configured withbarbs 178 that interact with barbs 180 on the glazing bead 140. Thefirst piece of glass can be connected with the second post in the samemanner as described above with reference to the second piece of glass.

As previously mentioned and as shown in FIGS. 4 and 4A, the glazingbeads 140 can include lips 182 connected with the first glaze side andthe second glaze side. As shown in FIG. 4, the lips 182 bend and engageopposing sides of the piece of glass when installed. As such, the lipscreate a barrier between the outside environment and the frictionalengagement between the glazing bead, the glass, and the slot. Thisbarrier helps to prevent various contaminants, such as salt, fromentering the slot and reacting the glazing bead material. As previouslymentioned, the glazing bead can be made from various types of materials.In one embodiment, the lips are made from soft rubber and the glazesides are constructed from rigid vinyl. Although the lips shown in FIG.4 are bent outward away from the slot, the lips can also be configuredto bend inward toward the slot. In addition, the glass may also beconfigured with trenches on each side thereof adapted to accept the lipsextending inward from the glazing bead.

As shown in FIG. 2, the glass barrier system can also include a lowerrailing 184 secured to the glass with a bottom rail glazing bead 186connected with a bottom edge 188 of the glass 108 in a similar manner asdescribed above with reference to the glass and the post. As shown inFIG. 5, the bottom rail 184 can also be configured with barbs 190 thatinteract with barbs 192 extending from the bottom rail glazing bead 186to help hold the bottom rail 184 securely to the glass. It is to beappreciated that bottom rails of sizes and shapes may be utilized. Forexample, one embodiment of the present invention utilizes a bottom railwidth, W, of 1.3 inches. In addition, the glass barrier system can alsoinclude an upper railing (not shown) along a top edge 194 of the pieceof glass.

It is to be appreciated that various embodiments of support members canbe used with different barrier systems, railings, fences, and walls. Forexample, FIGS. 6 and 7 show two embodiments of support members 300 thatcan be used with a barrier or railing system. As illustrated, thesupport members 300 can each include a post 302 and one or more legs 304connected with a base 306. The support members 300 can also include ananchor member 308 connected with the post 302. It is to be appreciatedthat the base 306, post 302, legs 304, and anchor member 308 can be madefrom various types materials, such as steel, aluminum, carboncomposites, plastic, any other suitable material, or a combinationthereof. The support member 300 can be configured to be partiallyembedded in various types of materials, such as concrete, to support abarrier system. For example, the base 306, a first portion of the post302, and the anchor member 308 may be adapted to be embedded withinconcrete with a second portion of the post 302 projecting outwardly fromthe concrete. As such, the second portion of the post 302 can be adaptedto support a column or other structural component of a barrier system.

As previously mentioned, the post 302 is connected with and extends fromthe base 306 of the support member 300. The base 306 can be configuredto help prevent the post 302 from tilting or overturning when the base306 is placed on a support surface or the ground. As such, it is to beappreciated that the base 306 can be of various shapes and sizes. In oneform, the base 306 has a generally arrowhead shaped planar body. In thearrowhead configuration, the base 306 can include a plurality of members310 a-c extending from a common origin. In one example, the base 306includes three members 310 a-c, with one member 310 b located betweenthe other two members 310 a, c extending outward from the common origin.The post 302 can be coupled with the base 306 at the intersection of thethree members 310 a-c. It is also to be appreciated that the base 306may be an assembly of separate members or a single piece defining ashape, such as the arrowhead configuration shown in FIG. 6. In alternateembodiments, such as shown in FIG. 7, the base 306 may have a generallytriangular shaped planar body. Although depicted as a generallyarrowhead shaped planar body in FIG. 6 and a generally triangular shapedplanar body in FIG. 7, the base 306 may include a body with any desiredshape that will generally reduce the possibility of the post 302overturning the base 306 when the base 306 is placed on the ground orother support surface with the post 302 extending from the base 306 in agenerally vertical direction relative to the ground.

As shown in FIG. 7, the base 306 may include or define a hole or otheraperture 312 of any possible shape to help anchor the base 306 whenembedded into a material, such as concrete. For example, if the base 306is embedded in concrete, the concrete, as it is poured, may fill thehole 312 shown in FIG. 7, thereby forming a shear key between the base306 and the concrete when the concrete sets. Although the base 306 shownin FIG. 7 includes one hole 312, it is to be appreciated that otherembodiments can include more than one hole, which may further enhancethe anchoring of the base 306 within a material. In addition to having ahole 312 in the base 306, other methods may be utilized to enhance theanchoring of the base 306 within a material. For example, shear studs,rebar, or other suitable anchoring elements may be connected with thebase 306. In another example, one or more surfaces of the base 306 maybe roughened to enhance the bonding between the base 306 and thematerial in which the base is embedded.

As shown in FIGS. 6, 6A, and 7, the support member 300 can include oneor more legs 304 extending from the base 306. The legs 304 may beintegral with the base 306 or may be connected with the base 306 bywelding, mechanically fastening (e.g. bolts, screws, rivets, etc.), orother known means to join two elements together. The legs 304 canelevate the base 306 above a surface upon which the base 306 issupported. The distance the legs 304 extend from the base 306 may bebased on an amount of desired elevation of the base 306 above a surface.For example, the legs 304 may rest against a bottom surface of aconcrete form for a slab. As such, the legs 304 position the base 306 adesired distance above the bottom surface of a concrete slab formedusing the concrete form. In one example, it may be desired forapproximately two inches of concrete to be between the base 306 and thebottom of the concrete slab after the concrete slab is formed.Accordingly, the legs 304 may extend approximately two inches from thebase 306. It is to be appreciated that the above example is merelyillustrative of a method to determine the distance one or more of thelegs 304 may extend from the base 306. Accordingly, the actual distancethat each leg 304 extends from the base 306 may be more or less than twoinches. Further, as will be described in more detail below, someembodiments of the support member 300 may not include legs 304.

The quantity, shapes, and locations of the legs 304 on the base 306 maybe selected to generally reduce the possibility of the base 306 beingoverturned when the post 302 extends from the base 306 in a generallyvertical direction relative to the ground. For example, as shown in FIG.6A, the support member 300 includes four legs 304, each leg 304 having agenerally L-shaped cross-section. One leg 304 is located proximate afirst portion of the base 306 from which the post 302 extends. Each ofthe remaining three legs 304 are located proximate the distal endportions of the respective three members 310 a-c extending from thefirst portion of the base 306. In another example shown in FIG. 7, thesupport member 300 includes three generally rectangular shaped legs 304,each located proximate respective vertices of the triangular shaped bodyof the base 306. The quantities, shapes, and configurations of the legs304 shown in FIGS. 6, 6A, and 7 provide stability to the support member300 when the base 306 is supported on the ground or other supportsurface by the legs 304. It is to be appreciated that the above examplesare merely illustrative, and as such, various quantities, shapes, andlocations of legs 304 may be used to reduce the possibility of the post302 overturning the base 306 when supported by legs 304.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the post 302 is connected with and extendsfrom the base 306. The post 302 may be integral with the base 306 or maybe connected with the base 306 in various ways, such as by welds,mechanical fasteners (e.g., bolts, screws, rivets, etc.), or other knownmeans to join two elements together. Generally, the post 302 extendsfrom a surface of the base 306 opposite a surface from which the legs304 extend. The distance that the post 302 extends from the base 306 canvary and may be based on the desired distance that the second portion ofthe post 302 extends from a material in which the base 306 is embedded.In one example, the base 306 is embedded four inches from a top surfaceof a concrete slab and it is desired that the second portion of the post302 extend at least twenty-four inches from the top surface. As such,the post 302 can be configured to extend approximately twenty-eightinches from the base 306. It is to be appreciated that the previousexample is merely illustrative of one method to determine the distancethat the post 302 extends from the base 306. Accordingly, the actualdistance that the post 302 extends from the base 306 may be more or lessthan twenty eight inches.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the post 302 may include a body with one ormore holes 314 located therein. As shown in FIG. 6, one of the holes 314may be adapted to receive an anchor member 308 (e.g., rebar, shearstuds, etc.). The anchor member 308 may be used to enhance the anchoringof the support member 300 within the material (e.g., concrete, grout,etc.) in which at least a portion of the support member 300 is embedded.It is to be appreciated that the anchor member 308 can be connected withthe post 302 in various ways, such as by welding as shown in FIG. 7,mechanical fastening, or any other suitable means for connecting twomembers together. Generally, the anchor member 308 may be located withinthe first portion of the post 302 and embedded within the material inwhich the support member 300 is embedded. The anchor member 308 can alsohave various shapes and sizes to enhance the anchoring of the supportmember 300 within a material. For example, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7,the anchor member 308 may be generally V-shaped or J-shaped. In otherembodiments, the anchor members 308 are linear, L-shaped, or U-shaped.Still other anchor members 308 include other shapes typically used forrebar or other anchoring members such as shear studs or other suitableshapes for providing an anchor between the support member 300 and thematerial in which the support member 300 is embedded. It is also to beappreciated that more than one anchor member 308, or combinations ofanchor members, may be used.

As described in more detail below, the post 302 may include additionalholes 314 to anchor the post 302 within grout, concrete, epoxy, or othersuitable material that may join or otherwise associate the post 302 witha column or other structural component of a barrier system. In otherconfigurations, the holes 314 may be used to receive fasteners (e.g.,bolts, screws, rivets, etc.) to join or connect the post 302 with acolumn or other structural component of a barrier system. In yet otherconfigurations, the holes 314 may be used for welding the post 302 to acolumn or other structural component.

FIG. 8 depicts a handrail system 320, which may be connected to astructural component 322 such as a concrete slab using the supportmember described above. The handrail system 320 may include columns 324,handrail top and bottom beams 326, 328 connected to the columns 324, andhandrail verticals 330 extending between the handrail top and bottombeams 326, 328. The handrail top and bottom beams 326, 328 may beconnected to the handrail columns 324 by welds, mechanical fasteners(e.g. bolts, screws, rivets, etc.), or other known means to join twoelements together. The columns 324 may be connected to the structuralcomponent 322 using support members 300 as described in more detailbelow.

FIG. 9 depicts an exploded view of the handrail system shown in FIG. 8.A pair of support members 300 extend from the concrete slab 322. Asdescribed in more detail below, the support members 300 may be used toconnect the columns 324 to the concrete slab 322. Each column 324 mayinclude an aperture 332 that may receive a support member 300 and abonding material 334 such as grout. The handrail verticals 330 mayextend between the bottom handrail beam 328 and a handrail plate 336,and may be connected to each member by welds, mechanical fasteners (e.g.bolts, screws, rivets, etc.), or other known means to join two elementstogether. The handrail bottom beam 328 may be channel shaped, thehandrail verticals 330 may be rectangular, and the handrail plate 336may be generally rectangular. However, each could be any other suitablestructural shape including tube shaped, I-shaped, circular, etc.

The top handrail beam 326 may include a generally arcuate shaped bodythat defines a smooth outer surface that may be gripped by a hand and atop beam open space that may receive the handrail plate 336. A pair offlanges may extend from the top handrail beam body into the open spacedefined by the body to provide a surface to connect to the handrailplate 336 to the handrail top beam 326 as described below. The tophandrail beam 326 may be any other suitable structural shape includingchannel shaped, tubular, rectangular, I-shaped, etc.

The handrail top plate 336 may be slid into the top beam open space. Thetop handrail beam flanges will vertically retain the handrail plate 336within the open space, thereby connecting the handrail plate 336 to thetop handrail beam 326. Other methods of connecting the top handrail beam326 to the handrail plate 336 may be utilized including joining thesemembers by welding, mechanically fastening (e.g. bolts, screws, rivets,etc.), or other known means to join two elements together. Further, insome alternative embodiments, the handrail plate 336 may be omitted, andthe handrail verticals 330 may be directly connected to the top handrailbeam 326 using any known method to join two element together.

FIG. 10 shows an elevation view of a portion of the handrail system 320depicted in FIG. 8 with the support member 300 used to connect ahandrail column 324 to another structural component 322 shown in phantomline. As shown in FIG. 10, the base 306, legs 304, and the first portionof the post 302 of the support member 300 are embedded within a concreteslab 322 containing reinforcing material 340, such as rebar. The legs304 of the support member 300 elevate the base 306 above the bottom ofthe concrete slab 322. As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the legs 304 of thesupport member 300 may also be located within the concrete slab 322 toavoid the reinforcing material 340. The base 306 or the legs 304 mayalso be tied to the reinforcing material 340 to help minimize movementof the support member 300 within the concrete slab 322. Tying thesupport member 300 to the reinforcing material 340 may also reduce thetendency of the support member 300 to overturn prior to the concreteslab 322 being formed around the support member 300. Holes (not shown)may be provided in the base 306 or the legs 304 to facilitate the tyingof the support member 300 to the reinforcing material 340. As previouslymentioned, some embodiments of the support member 300 do not includelegs 304. In such embodiments, prior to forming the concrete slab 322,the base 306 may be supported directly on the bottom of the concreteform or may be supported above the bottom of the concrete form by thereinforcing material 340 or other known means of supporting a componentabove the bottom of a form.

Referring back to FIG. 10, the second portion of the post 302 extendsfrom the upper surface of the concrete slab 322. The second portion ofthe post 302 may also be adapted to extend into and be encompassed bythe column 324. The distance in which the second portion of the post 302extends into the column 324 can vary. For example, in one embodiment,the second portion extends into approximately one-third of the length ofthe column 324 to provide additional resistance to external forcesexerted on the column 324. Generally, the largest moments, shears, andother external forces exerted upon the column 324 occur within theportion of the column 324 proximate the upper surface of the concreteslab 322. Accordingly, extending the second portion of the post 302 intoapproximately the lower third of the column 324 and structurallyassociating the post 302 with the column 324 provides additionalmaterial to resist the external forces exerted upon the column 324 wherethe aforementioned forces tend to be the largest.

Although described as extending into approximately one-third of thecolumn 324, it is to be appreciated that the second portion of thesupport member 300 may extend more or less than a distance of one-thirdthe column length. Further, rather than extending into a column 324 orother structural component of a handrail system 320, the post 302 of thesupport member 300 may extend outside of or adjacent to the column orother structural component or may be used as a column or otherstructural component for a handrail system 320. When extending adjacentto a column 324 or other structural component, the post 302 may beconnected or joined with the column 324 or other structural component bymechanical fasteners (e.g., bolts, screws, rivets, etc.), welds, orother suitable means to join two elements together.

As shown in FIG. 12, the column 324 may have a generally squarecross-sectional area defining an aperture 332 for receiving the secondportion of the post 302, which may have a rectangular cross-sectionalarea. The rectangular cross-section of the post 302 may help theconcrete to form better around the post 302. Although depicted as havinga rectangular cross-sectional area, it is to be appreciated the post 302may have various other cross sectional shapes, such as circular,tubular, I-shaped, L-shaped, C-shaped, Z-shaped, or a combinationthereof. As such, the column 324 or other structural component of ahandrail system 320 may also have any cross-sectional area that definesan aperture 332 sufficiently sized to receive the post 302 therein.

A grout 334 or other suitable material (e.g., concrete, epoxy, etc.) maybe used to fill any space between an interior surface of the column 324and the post 302. The grout 334 or other suitable material may bond thecolumn 324 to the support member 300 and/or sufficiently associate thesupport member 300 with the column 324 to form a composite structuralmember including the column 324 and the post 302. With reference to FIG.10, the holes 314 in the second portion of the post 302 may form a shearkey with the grout 334 or other suitable material in a manner similar tothe shear key described above between the base 306 and the concrete.Other methods of joining the support member's post 302 to a column 324or other structural component of a handrail system 320 may be utilized.For example, the support member's post 302 may be joined by mechanicallyfastening it to a structural component of a handrail system 320 (e.g.,using bolts, screws, rivets, etc.), by welding the elements together, orby using any other known means to join two elements together.

A method of connecting a column 324 (or other structural component) of ahandrail system 320 to another structural component using the supportmember 300 is described below with reference to FIGS. 10, 11, and 12. Aform (not shown) is provided for forming the structural component 322(e.g., a concrete slab). The support member 300 and any reinforcingmaterial 340 for the structural component 322 is placed within the form.The form is filled with a non-solidified or partially solidifiedmaterial (e.g., unset concrete) to create the structural component 322,thereby embedding the base 306, the first portion of the post 302, and,if desired, the anchor member 308 within the material. The non- orpartially solidified material is allowed to solidify sufficiently tosupport a person, equipment, or other loads. A second portion of thepost 302 extends from the structural component 322 and is receivedwithin a column 324 having an aperture 332 for receiving the post 302therein. A space between the post 302 and a surface of the column 324defining the aperture 332 is filled with a bonding material 334 (e.g.,grout). The above-described method is merely illustrative of a methodfor embedding the support member 300 in a material and connecting acolumn 324 or other structural component to the support member 300.Accordingly, other methods may be used to embed the support member 300in a material and/or connect a column 324 or other structural componentto the support member 300. Also, it should be noted that the methoddescribed above for using a support member 300 to connect a handrailcolumn 324 to a concrete slab 322 may be used for other systems such asthe glass barrier system described above, fences, walls, or any othersystems that require a column or other structural element to beconnected to another structural element.

It will be appreciated from the above noted description of variousarrangements and embodiments of the present invention that a glassbarrier system has been described which may include: a support memberadapted to be connected with a base structure, a post connected with thesupport member so as to support the post in a position away from thebase structure, and at least one piece of glass connected with the post.The glass barrier can be formed and configured in various ways dependingupon the particular application. It will be appreciated that thefeatures described in connection with each arrangement and embodiment ofthe invention are interchangeable to some degree so that many variationsbeyond those specifically described are possible. For example, the glassbarrier system can be assembled so as to include only one supportmember, one post, and one piece of glass in situations where an opposingend of the glass can be supported by some other structure, such as awall. In another scenario, the posts of the glass barrier system areconfigured to support two or more vertically arranged pieces of glasswithin a single slot. In such a configuration, the bottom edge of anupper piece of glass can be adjacent to the top edge of a lower piece ofglass. In addition, the bottom and top edges may or may not be incontact with each other. The glass barrier system can also be configuredto accommodate glass pieces of various thickness. For example, someembodiments of the glass barrier system are configured to accommodateglass having a thickness of ¼, ⅜, and ½ inch. In one embodiment thataccommodates ½ inch thick glass, the glazing bead is removed and theglass is wet-glazed into the slot.

Although various representative embodiments of this invention have beendescribed above with a certain degree of particularity, those skilled inthe art could make numerous alterations to the disclosed embodimentswithout departing from the spirit or scope of the inventive subjectmatter set forth in the specification and claims. All directionalreferences (e.g., upper, lower, upward, downward, left, right, leftward,rightward, top, bottom, above, below, vertical, horizontal, clockwise,and counterclockwise) are only used for identification purposes to aidthe reader's understanding of the embodiments of the present invention,and do not create limitations, particularly as to the position,orientation, or use of the invention unless specifically set forth inthe claims. Joinder references (e.g., attached, coupled, connected, andthe like) are to be construed broadly and may include intermediatemembers between a connection of elements and relative movement betweenelements. As such, joinder references do not necessarily infer that twoelements are directly connected and in fixed relation to each other.

In some instances, components are described with reference to “ends”having a particular characteristic and/or being connected with anotherpart. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that the presentinvention is not limited to components which terminate immediatelybeyond their points of connection with other parts. Thus, the term “end”should be interpreted broadly, in a manner that includes areas adjacent,rearward, forward of, or otherwise near the terminus of a particularelement, link, component, part, member or the like. In methodologiesdirectly or indirectly set forth herein, various steps and operationsare described in one possible order of operation, but those skilled inthe art will recognize that steps and operations may be rearranged,replaced, or eliminated without necessarily departing from the spiritand scope of the present invention. It is intended that all mattercontained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawingsshall be interpreted as illustrative only and not limiting. Changes indetail or structure may be made without departing from the spirit of theinvention as defined in the appended claims.

1. A component for supporting a column of a handrail system comprising:a base; a post extending from the base, the post adapted to support thecolumn; and a plurality of legs extending from the base.
 2. Thecomponent of claim 1, wherein: the base includes a first portion andthree members extending from the first portion; the post extends fromthe first portion of the base; and at least one of the plurality of legsextends from the first portion of the base.
 3. The component of claim 2,wherein the first portion and the three members define a generallyarrowhead shaped planar body.
 4. The component of claim 1, wherein: thebase includes a substantially triangular planar body; and at least oneof the plurality of legs extends from proximate a vertex of the base. 5.The component of claim 1, further comprising a means for anchoring thepost within a material.
 6. The component of claim 5, further wherein themeans for anchoring the post is an anchor member operatively associatedwith the post.
 7. The component of claim 6, wherein the anchor member isrebar.
 8. The component of claim 1, further comprising a means foranchoring the base within a material.
 9. The component of claim 8,wherein the means for anchoring is at least one hole in the base. 10.The component of claim 1, wherein the post defines a generallyrectangular cross-sectional area.
 11. The component of claim 1, whereinthe post is made of steel.
 12. The component of claim 1, wherein thepost is adapted to extend into at least one-third of the length of thecolumn when the base is embedded within a material.
 13. The component ofclaim 1, wherein the post includes at least one hole therein.
 14. Amethod for connecting a column of handrail system to another structuralcomponent comprising: providing a structural component including a firstmaterial; providing a connection element including a base and a post,the post extending from the base; embedding the base and a first portionof the post in the first material; providing a column including a firstsurface defining an aperture operative to receive a second portion ofthe post extending from the first material; receiving the second portionof the post within the aperture; and filling a space between the postand the first surface with a second material.
 15. The method of claim14, wherein the first material is concrete.
 16. The method of claim 14,wherein the structural component is a foundation.
 17. The method ofclaim 14, wherein the second material is selected from a groupconsisting of grout, concrete, or epoxy.
 18. The method of claim 14,wherein embedding the base and the first portion of the post in thefirst material comprises the steps of: providing a form; placing theconnection element in the form; filling the form with the first materialin a non-solidified state; and allowing the first material to solidify.19. The method of claim 18, further comprising elevating the base abovea surface of the form with a plurality of legs extending from the base20. The method of claim 14, further comprising embedding an anchormember operatively associated with the connection element within thefirst material.
 21. The method of claim 14, wherein the post is receivedwithin at least one-third of the length of the column.